Brigadier General Eddy Kapend Yrung, Commander of the 22nd Military Region, attempted to prevent Monsignor Fulgence Muteba, Metropolitan Archbishop of Lubumbashi, from carrying out a pastoral visit to the Saint Sébastien parish, located at the Vangu military camp on Sunday.
Working under the instructions of his dictator president Félix Tshisekedi, Brigadier General Kapend Yrung tried to stop the respected Catholic Priest’s visit under pretext that the security situation not appropriate for his visit.
However, the Archbishop was not intimidated by this illegal order and proceeded with the visit as planned.
The Archdiocese of Lubumbashi strongly denounced and condemned the attitude of General Eddy Kapend, which constitutes an abuse of authority and an attack on freedom of religion.
The Archbishop celebrated the Holy Eucharist of Christ the King of the universe in an atmosphere of fervor and piety, without incident.
The Archdiocese recalls that freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Constitution and the Framework Agreement between the Holy See and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Archbishop Muteba has recently come out to condemn Tshisekedi’s dubious proposal to revise the national Constitution in order to secure a illegal third term of office for himself.
